Anti-theft device with electromechanically retractable locking arms

Abstract

An anti-theft device for securing merchandise against theft. The anti-theft device has a stand that mounts onto a display surface. A pair of arms is disposed in a linear sliding relationship relative to the stand. The arms terminate with inwardly facing grips that receive the opposing edges or corners of the merchandise. The arms have gear racks operatively engaged by a pinion gear. The pinion gear is joined to a concentrically aligned worm wheel, which is operatively engaged by a worm. A motor is configured to selectively spin the worm in the first or the second direction, thereby selectively retracting or extending the arms relative to the stand to secure or release the merchandise, respectively. The worm drive immobilizes the arms against being extended from the stand using manual force, thereby locking the merchandise to the stand. A fob may be used to transmit a signal that actuates the motor.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An anti-theft device for securing a merchandise against theft, comprising:
 a stand configured to be anchored to a display surface and configured to support the merchandise thereon; 
 an adjustable arm having a first portion slidingly coupled to the stand and a second portion positioned outside the stand and terminating with a grip, wherein the grip is configured to receive an edge or a corner of the merchandise when the adjustable arm is in a closed position; 
 a gear rack disposed along the first portion of the adjustable arm; 
 a pinion gear rotationally disposed within the stand and operatively engaged with the gear rack of the adjustable arm, wherein rotation of the pinion gear in a first direction causes the adjustable arm to retract relative to the stand and rotation of the pinion gear in the second direction causes the adjustable arm to extend relative to the stand; 
 a worm wheel joined to the pinion gear in a concentric alignment therewith, the worm wheel and the pinion gear collectively forming a gear assembly; 
 a worm operatively engaging the worm wheel collectively forming a worm drive, wherein the worm precludes the gear assembly from rotating while the worm drive is not operating, thereby immobilizing the adjustable arm relative to the stand; and 
 a motor operatively connected to the worm drive, wherein the motor has a first operating mode in which the motor causes the gear assembly to rotate in the first direction thereby retracting the adjustable arm relative to the stand thus securing the merchandise within the grip, and a second operating mode in which the motor spins the worm in reverse causing the gear assembly to rotate in the second direction thereby extending the adjustable arm relative to the stand and releasing the merchandise from the grip and enabling removal thereof from the stand; 
 wherein in the first operating mode, the motor is configured to cease operating in response to experiencing increased resistance, thereby stopping retraction of the adjustable arm relative to the stand when the merchandise is secured within the grip. 
 
     
     
       2. The anti-theft device of  claim 1 , further comprising a fob configured to transmit a first signal and a receiver disposed within the stand configured to detect the first signal, wherein in response to the receiver detecting the first signal, the motor is actuated in the first operating mode, thereby causing the gear assembly to rotate in the first direction, thus retracting the adjustable arm. 
     
     
       3. The anti-theft device of  claim 2 , wherein the fob is configured to transmit a second signal, and wherein the motor is actuated in the second operating mode in response to the receiver detecting the second signal thereby causing the gear assembly to rotate in the second direction, thus extending the adjustable arm relative to the stand. 
     
     
       4. The anti-theft device of  claim 3 , wherein the motor is configured to cease operating in response to experiencing increased resistance, thereby stopping extension of the adjustable arm when the pinion gear engages a stop at a terminal end of the gear rack. 
     
     
       5. The anti-theft device of  claim 1 , wherein the worm drive prevents the adjustable arm from being extended via application of a manual force thereto. 
     
     
       6. The anti-theft device of  claim 5 , wherein the first and the second grips are angled relative to the adjustable arm. 
     
     
       7. The anti-theft device of  claim 1 , wherein the grip is a first grip and the adjustable arm further comprises a second grip, wherein the first grip is configured to receive a first corner of the merchandise and the second grip is configured to receive the second corner thereof. 
     
     
       8. The anti-theft device of  claim 1 , wherein the adjustable arm is a first adjustable arm and the grip is a first grip, further comprising a second adjustable arm slidingly coupled to the stand and terminating with a second grip, wherein the first and the second grips are positioned on the opposite sides of the stand and are configured to secure opposite edges of the merchandise. 
     
     
       9. The anti-theft device of  claim 8 , wherein a second gear rack is disposed along the second adjustable arm and operatively engages the pinion gear, and wherein the first and the second gear racks are disposed in an opposing relationship with one another relative to the pinion gear, such that the pinion gear synchronizes inward retraction and outward extension of the first and the second adjustable arms. 
     
     
       10. An anti-theft device for securing a merchandise against theft, comprising:
 a stand configured to be anchored to a display surface and configured to support the merchandise thereon; 
 an adjustable arm having a first portion slidingly coupled to the stand and a second portion positioned outside the stand and terminating with a grip, wherein the grip is configured to receive an edge or a corner of the merchandise when the adjustable arm is in a closed position; 
 a gear rack disposed along the first portion of the adjustable arm; 
 a pinion gear rotationally disposed within the stand and operatively engaged with the gear rack of the adjustable arm, wherein rotation of the pinion gear in a first direction causes the adjustable arm to retract relative to the stand and rotation of the pinion gear in the second direction causes the adjustable arm to extend relative to the stand; 
 a worm wheel joined to the pinion gear in a concentric alignment therewith, the worm wheel and the pinion gear collectively forming a gear assembly; 
 a worm operatively engaging the worm wheel collectively forming a worm drive, wherein the worm precludes the gear assembly from rotating while the worm drive is not operating, thereby immobilizing the adjustable arm relative to the stand; and 
 a motor operatively connected to the worm drive, wherein the motor has a first operating mode in which the motor causes the gear assembly to rotate in the first direction thereby retracting the adjustable arm relative to the stand thus securing the merchandise within the grip, and a second operating mode in which the motor spins the worm in reverse causing the gear assembly to rotate in the second direction thereby extending the adjustable arm relative to the stand and releasing the merchandise from the grip and enabling removal thereof from the stand; 
 wherein in the second operating mode, the motor is configured to cease operating in response to experiencing increased resistance, thereby stopping extension of the adjustable arm when the pinion gear engages a stop at a terminal end of the gear rack. 
 
     
     
       11. The anti-theft device of  claim 10 , further comprising a fob configured to transmit a signal and a receiver disposed within the stand configured to detect the signal, wherein in response to the receiver detecting the signal, the motor is actuated in the first operating mode, thereby causing the gear assembly to rotate in the first direction, thus retracting the adjustable arm. 
     
     
       12. The anti-theft device of  claim 10 , further comprising a fob configured to transmit a signal and a receiver disposed within the stand configured to detect the signal, and wherein the motor is actuated in the second operating mode in response to the receiver detecting the signal thereby causing the gear assembly to rotate in the second direction, thus extending the adjustable arm relative to the stand. 
     
     
       13. The anti-theft device of  claim 10 , wherein in the second operating mode, the motor is configured to cease operating in response to experiencing increased resistance, thereby stopping retraction of the adjustable arm when the merchandise is secured within the grip. 
     
     
       14. The anti-theft device of  claim 10 , wherein the grip is a first grip and the adjustable arm further comprises a second grip, wherein the first grip is configured to receive a first corner of the merchandise and the second grip is configured to receive the second corner thereof. 
     
     
       15. The anti-theft device of  claim 14 , wherein the first and the second grips are angled relative to the adjustable arm. 
     
     
       16. The anti-theft device of  claim 10 , wherein the adjustable arm is a first adjustable arm and the grip is a first grip, further comprising a second adjustable arm slidingly coupled to the stand and terminating with a second grip, wherein the first and the second grips are positioned on the opposite sides of the stand and are configured to secure opposite edges of the merchandise. 
     
     
       17. The anti-theft device of  claim 16 , wherein a second gear rack is disposed along the second adjustable arm and operatively engages the pinion gear, and wherein the first and the second gear racks are disposed in an opposing relationship with one another relative to the pinion gear, such that the pinion gear synchronizes inward retraction and outward extension of the first and the second adjustable arms.